Overview

Her castle under siege by an evil knight who keeps beheading all her would-be rescuers, Lady Lynet realizes that the only way to get help is to get it herself. So one night she slips away and strikes out for King Arthur's court, where she hopes to find a gallant knight to vanquish the Knight of the Red Lands and free her castle. Instead, she finds an odd dwarf named Roger and a scruffy kitchen hand named Beaumains. As the three unlikely companions return to Lynet's castle, they face surprising adventures, ...

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Overview

Her castle under siege by an evil knight who keeps beheading all her would-be rescuers, Lady Lynet realizes that the only way to get help is to get it herself. So one night she slips away and strikes out for King Arthur's court, where she hopes to find a gallant knight to vanquish the Knight of the Red Lands and free her castle. Instead, she finds an odd dwarf named Roger and a scruffy kitchen hand named Beaumains. As the three unlikely companions return to Lynet's castle, they face surprising adventures, including encounters with the uncanny Squire Terence, his master, Sir Gawain, and the majestic sorceress Morgan. And somewhere along the way, Lynet discovers that people can be much more than they seem.

Lynet, a feisty young woman, journeys to King Arthur's court in order to find a champion to rescue her beautiful older sister, and she is joined in her quest by a clever dwarf and a bold kitchen knave, neither of whom are what they seem.

Editorial Reviews

Library Journal
- Booksmack!

Originally published in 2000, this third book in Morris's Squire series retells a lesser-known episode in the Arthurian canon. Lady Lynet travels to Camelot to request a champion to free her family's lands from the tyranny of the Red Knight. Instead, she meets a knowing dwarf and Beaumains, a kitchen knave, who come to her aid when Arthur's knights fall short. Morris delights in skewering Mallory's heroes. Lady Lynet, the "Savage Damsel," learns that chivalry is the mask of the unintelligent and that the little guy is never what he seems. Angelina Benedetti, "35 Going on 13", Booksmack!, 12/2/10

Children's Literature
- Children's Literature

If you think that a damsel could not be savage, then you will want to meet the feisty Lynet. The family castle is under siege by an evil knight, but she manages to escape in the dead of night to search for a hero to rescue her beautiful, though shallow sister. Unfortunately she cannot tell the whole truth to King Arthur. It seems that her recently deceased father fought against the monarch. As a matter of fact, it seems that no one wants to reveal his or her true identity. Much to her disgust, Lynet's champion is Beaumains, a filthy, foul-smelling kitchenhand. Someone donates armor and lo and behold he is not only handsome when cleaned, but also quite a skilled warrior. Her other companion is a strange dwarf named Roger, who is knowledgeable and has an uncanny sense of direction and somehow manages to get the group back to Lynet's castle. Along the way they meet magical fairies, adventure, and plenty of people who want to fight the knight whom Lynet insists is not a knight! Is anybody who they say they are? Will Beaumains save the castle and marry the beautiful sister? Will Lynet's heart be broken? For a rollicking good read and plenty of medieval action, relax and read the humorous sequel to The Squire, his Knight, and his Lady. 2000, Houghton Mifflin, Ages 10 to 16, $15.00. Reviewer: Laura Hummel

VOYA

Tired of her sister's futile whining about the Knight of the Red Lands' seige on their castle, Lady Lynet journeys to King Arthur's court to ask for a champion. She is aided in her escape by an unseen faery and further assisted by a somewhat hapless dwarf named Roger, who is nonetheless good at direction. Afraid that her father's role in an earlier rebellion against Arthur will not have been forgotten or forgiven, Lynet appeals for help while refusing to reveal details. Assisted by the Lady Eileen and Squire Terence, whom readers will recognize from The Squire's Tale (Houghton Mifflin, 1998/VOYA August 1998) and A Squire, His Knight, and His Lady (Houghton Mifflin, 1999/VOYA August 1999), Lynet is able to gain an audience with Arthur. The king refuses to consider her request without knowing her and her sister's names. Nonetheless the kitchen knave, Beaumainsactually Gawain's brother Gareth who has sworn none will know his true name until he restores Lancelot's honorvolunteers for the task. Lynet sets out reluctantly with Beaumains and soon is joined again by the dwarf as they venture back to Cornwall and Lynet's sister. During the course of the journey, the erstwhile rescue, and her sister's untoward response, Lynet learns that appearances are deceiving and that real honor lies far beyond the trappings of tournament victories and shiny armor. Although the vocabulary at times is more demanding than Morris's earlier work, young readers will enjoy the magical world of knights, dwarves, and damsels in distress. Morris provides a richly rewarding reworking of a less familiar chapter from Arthurian legend. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P M J (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses;Broadgeneral YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2000, Houghton Mifflin, Ages 12 to 15, 213p, $15. Reviewer: Kim Carter

School Library Journal

Gr 6-9-A rollicking treatment of a lesser-known episode from Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur. Teenaged Lady Lynet sets out for Camelot, looking for a champion to free her family's castle from the siege of an evil knight. Along the way, she befriends several mysterious companions, none of whom is exactly as he or she first appears. Scattered throughout Lynet's saga are droll, unusually modern portrayals of many familiar Arthurian characters. The heroine, nicknamed the Savage Damsel, is a take-charge kind of gal. Noble Sir Gareth appears as a "clothheaded ninny," whose turbocharged sense of honor forces him into an unnecessary duel with every knight he stumbles across, and brave Sir Lancelot has burned out on chivalry and admits he has become a media creation. The novel is also enjoyable for its good-natured spoofing of the conventions of its medieval setting. Knights of the Round Table avoid any tournament where the prize is a lady's hand in marriage, figuring there must be something wrong with her. Characters poke fun at one another's lofty, Maloryesque language. Also, some of the most courageous knights are shown to be none too bright, which explains why they risk their lives so readily. Although the story lacks the majesty of other tales closer to the heart of the Arthurian legend, it is great fun and will be enjoyed by fans of the genre.-Beth Wright, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, VT Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|

Kirkus Reviews

In Morris's third (Squire's Tale, 1998; The Squire, the Knight and the Lady, 1999) wry, sometimes hilarious, take on an Arthurian legend, a sharp-tongued young damosel gets an education in sorcery, intrigue and what true knighthood is all about. To save her beautiful, if vapid, older sister Lyonesse from the clutches of a bloodthirsty suitor, Lynet sets out on her own to recruit a champion from Camelot. She returns with a savvy, but inept, dwarf, Roger, and a kitchen knave dubbed `Beaumains` who, from his adroit sword work and obsession with fighting every armored comer to the death, is obviously a knight in disguise. Though Lynet is deeply smitten, in time she loses both her infatuation and at least some of her romantic illusions, incidentally gaining along the way grounding in sorcery and herb lore. There's plenty of violence here, and not the cartoon sort either, but Morris doesn't glorify it; instead, he populates the woods (every clearing, it sometimes seems) with knights of every stripe, from murderous brutes and big talkers to mild mannered, sensible sorts—including among the latter the renowned Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawain. Ultimately realizing that her true hero has been literally under her nose the whole time, Lynet douses Roger with a magic potion that not only heals a mortal wound, but, to her amazement turns him back into (tah-dah!) Sir Gaheris, Prince of Orkney. As Beaumains turns out to be Sir Gareth, his featherbrained brother and so a perfect match for Lyonesse, the tale ends with a grand double wedding. Fans of Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted (1997), Patricia Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles and similarly lighthearted fantasy will be delighted.(afterword)(Fiction. 11-15)

Related Subjects

Meet the Author

When Gerald Morris was in fifth grade he loved Greek and Norse mythology and before long was retelling the stories to his younger sister and then to neighborhood kids. He began carrying a notebook in which he kept some of the details related to the different stories. The joy he found in retelling those myths continued when he discovered other stories. According to Gerald Morris, “I never lost my love of retelling the old stories. When I found Arthurian literature, years later, I knew at once that I wanted to retell those grand tales. So I pulled out my notebook . . . I retell the tales, peopling them with characters that I at least find easier to recognize, and let the magic of the Arthurian tradition go where it will.” Gerald Morris lives in Wausau, Wisconsin, with his wife and their three children. In addition to writing he serves as a minister in a church.

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Love it

Somtimes appearences can be decieving. Sometimes the guy of your dreams is not always the greatest looking guy in the room. This book gives the phrase "dont judge a book by its cover" a whole new meaning

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9044762

Posted June 7, 2011

Morris' masterpiece- an absolute delight

Witty, warm, and surprising, this puts all his other novels to shame. A perfect blend of action, romance and smart humor; you will be sad to see this one end. By far my favorite of Morris' work and absolutely one of my favorite books of all time.

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5531459

Posted March 18, 2011

good book?

i havent read all of it but it looks good

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted February 13, 2008

Couldn't put it down!!

I read this book in one day while only stopping during classes. It had a great character devolopment without telling you anything all at once or out right. There were questions that all came together in the end and the whole book was connected. But when it was over I was sad, :( , because I just wanted to read more of this story. It was absolutely one of the best books i've ever read!!

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Anonymous

Posted December 30, 2005

definitely his best book so far

I love this book. It is hilarious and so witty. I love Lynet. She is the perfect heroine because she is so brave and so kind. This story isn't your traditional fairy tale but that's why I like it so much. This book is definitely one of my favorites ever. So read it! You'll love it!

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Anonymous

Posted June 22, 2004

My favorite

The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf is a great book for Tamora Pierce fans. Basically because Lynet is a very strong female character who many girls can relate to (stupid older sisters, crushes, etc.) It might be better if you know the original Sir Beaumains story beforehand.

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Anonymous

Posted April 30, 2003

THE FUNNIEST ONE YET!!

If you liked Squire's Tale and The Squire, His Knight, and His Lady, you are going to LOVE this one. It has most of the characters from the previous books and many new and FUNNY characters. This one was REALLY GREAT. I LOVE the way that Gerald Morris writes!! I was laughing so much!! Just thinking about it makes me laugh!! The plot is really good and so is the romance.

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Anonymous

Posted August 15, 2002

how can anyone not love this book?

full of humor, this book is perfect for eather reading by a crackling fire or as a summer reading project. I personally love this book!

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Anonymous

Posted May 15, 2002

Brilliant!

This book, overflowing with love and respect for the legends and dripping with wit, is one of the best retellings of Arthurian legend I've ever read. Morris looks at the stories from a modern viewpoint, and puts characters with modern personalities into the middle of all the silliness we see when we read them in the originals. Look out for the Pink Knight scene, and read it with tissues in hand -- prepare to laugh until you cry.

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Anonymous

Posted January 6, 2002

...laugh out loud ride...

This book is a laugh - out - loud ride through one of the most celebrated tales of the Knights of the Round Table. You don't have to be an Arthurian junkie and already familiar with the story of Beaumain the Kitchen Knight like me to enjoy this, either. In fact, all you really need is a sense of humor. The evil Knight of the Red Lands has lain seige to the Castle Perle, slaughtering every knight who comes his way, and demanding the hand of the beautiful but witless Lady Lyonessse. Her sister, Lynet, decides to take matters into her own hands and sneaks out of the castle (with the help of a suspiciously magical stranger), and heads for Camelot, befriending a dwarf named Roger along the way. At Camelot, however, Lynet refuses to reveal her name, fearing that her father's part in a rebellion against Arthur will stop the king from sending her any help. Unfortunately, no one wants to follow a nameless damsel in distress on a perilous quest, so Lynet, much to her disgust, has to settle for the kitchen boy, Beaumains. This hilarious romance about things not always being what they seem puts a refreshing spin on a beloved story and will leave you wanting to read more on Morris' Knights of the Round Table. In that case, I strongly recommend Gerald Morris' other works, about Sir Gawain and his squire Terence. All three books

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Anonymous

Posted August 27, 2001

An enchanting tale..

This book has delightful wit and the romance and magic in it are treated in a refreshingly novel way. One is drawn into the story from the start and Lynet and Roger are an endearing heroine and hero.

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Anonymous

Posted March 2, 2001

That was the most amusing book......

People, that book was GOOD! it was quite...witty, and all the characters had good personalities. I wanted the book to be longer, and I wanted more sequels, it was really good!!!!

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Anonymous

Posted January 10, 2001

I hope he writes a sequil!

Ive just found my favorite book! this is a great book I suggest it to anyone.I really hope he writes another book these books of his are my all time favorites!This is the first time Ive liked a book so much!YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK.Its the best.

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Anonymous

Posted September 14, 2000

Gerald Morris Pulls Excalibur from Stone

This book is truly a victory put into words. I thought Mr. Morris's past Squire Terence books were great, but this one...wow! I couldn't put it down. I started reading 'The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf' to get rid of Harry Potter withdrawal, but it turned out that I now have Squire Terence withdrawal, instead. Oh well, at least I got a good read out of it. Three times.

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